In this file image, Justin Smith and Corey Lemonier celebrate Lemonier's second quarter safety of Carson Palmer. The San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, October 13, 2013. less

In this file image, Justin Smith and Corey Lemonier celebrate Lemonier's second quarter safety of Carson Palmer. The San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, ... more

Emotional 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula expressed genuine concern and compassion for Aldon Smith this morning as he spoke minutes after the team announced it had released their troubled outside linebacker.

Smith was arrested in Santa Clara on Thursday night on suspicion of hit and run, driving under the influence and vandalism. It marked the fifth time he’d been arrested or charged since 2012. He’s had three DUI arrests.

“It’s a sad day. This is a day that doesn’t have anything to do (with) football,” Tomsula said, later adding: “We’re not worried about football. It has nothing to do with football.”

Of course, the reality is the 49ers now have to deal with the challenge of replacing one of the NFL’s most dominant pass-rushers. Smith, the No. 7 pick in 2011, had 42 sacks in his first three seasons, the third-most in NFL history behind two Hall-of-Famers, Reggie White and Derrick Thomas.

However, even with Smith’s release, the 49ers’ outside linebacker corps isn’t barren. Ahmad Brooks, 31, a two-time, second-team All-Pro, and Aaron Lynch, a 2014 fifth-round pick, shared team-honors last year with six sacks when Smith missed nine games with a suspension. The 49ers also selected Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold in the third round and the rookie has played well in training-camp practices. The 49ers also have Corey Lemonier, a 2013 third-round pick who has zero career starts and one sack.

Tomsula acknowledged the talent at the position, while noting it played no role in the decision to release Smith.

“We’ve drafted,” Tomsula said when asked how the team would compensate for Smith’s loss. “We have a group there … Regardless of whether we felt that area was loaded, or we had a lot of good quality talent in the group, which we do, that wouldn’t have factored into this decision.”

Brooks is being sued for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at the house of then-teammate Ray McDonald in December, according to a civil lawsuit filed in May in Santa Clara County Superior Court. The alleged victim is the same woman who has accused McDonald of raping her at the same party.

Today, a spokesman for the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office said the rape charge against McDonald remains under investigation and Brooks is still being included in the review.

McDonald, who was released in December, is among the many standout defensive players the 49ers have lost recently. That group includes Smith and three others who retired in the offseason: linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland and defensive tackle Justin Smith.